1 NOW when Ammon and his brethren separated themselves in the borders of the land of the Lamanites, behold Aaron took his journey towards the land which was called by the Lamanites, Jerusalem, calling it after the land of their fathers’ nativity; and it was away joining the borders of Mormon.

2 Now the Lamanites and the Amalekites[ There is no introduction to this group called the Amalekites. So there are many scholars who believe that they are the same group as the Amlicites, whom Alma encountered earlier in his career (see Alma 2–3). This observation is based on evidence in the text of two kinds: spelling variations in the original handwritten manuscripts of Oliver Cowdery and hints in the traditional text that many readers have not noticed. Years ago some students of the Book of Mormon noticed curious happenings in the book of Alma. The book begins with Nehor and quickly moves to a major Nephite threat tied to Nehor, the apostate Amlici. Amlici’s followers, the Amlicites, attempt to take over the government and to seize an election but are defeated in major battles and seemingly wiped out (see Alma 1–2). Still, Alma spends the entire next chapter (Alma 3) telling about the threat and mark of the Amlicites, after their disappearance. This seems to be a lot of detail about a past threat. From a structural point of view, Alma 3 reads more like a warning and an introduction to a problem than a comment about a problem no longer present. some 18 chapters later, the missionary Aaron runs into another group of troublemakers, called Amalekites, who are allied with the Amulonites and helping to harden the Lamanites (see Alma 21:2–4). This new group is introduced among two other groups we already know well, the name thrown in almost casually as if the reader were fully aware of who they are: Upon reading that passage for the first time, most people are probably unaware that they have met yet another new group, one with no given origin. In comparing the Amlicites with the Amale- kites, we find that Amlici and the Amlicites are mentioned 43 times between Alma 2:1 and 3:20 and never mentioned again. The Amalekites are mentioned 19 times between Alma 21:2 and 43:44, often in connection with the Nephite-dissenting descendants of Noah’s priest Amulon or with the Nephite dissenters called Zoramites. The Amlicites had theology, political organization, aristocracy, armies, Lamanite alliances, military organization, ties to Nehor, and distinctive, self-imposed skin markings (see Alma 1:4–6; 2:1–2, 5–6, 9, 12, 14, 24; 3:4–6), just as the Amalekites had theology, cities, sanctuaries, synagogues, and ties to the Lamanites, the Amulonites, the Zoramites, and “the Nehors” (see Alma 21:2, 4, 6; 43:6). Aaron, son of Mosiah, contended with an Amalekite in one of the Ama- lekites’ synagogues (see Alma 21:5–11) and later had a discussion with King Lamoni’s father about their beliefs (see Alma 22:7–18).4 When asked if he believed in God, the Lamanite king began his answer by commenting on the Amalekites’ belief and worship sanctuaries (see Alma 22:7). Both groups were apparently influential enough to warrant such detail. At first reading, this casual introduction of a new group called Amalekites (see Alma 21:2) might not have bothered us since the Book of Mormon often takes a shotgun approach to its abbreviated historical record, where names are noted without introduction, including the crucial name Mormon itself (see Mosiah 18:4). However, unlike the case with the names of individuals, we cannot find another instance in this abridged record where a group is introduced without explanation or introduction the Amalekites are the only exception. 5 While there are two Amalekis in the record (see Omni 1:12–30; Mosiah 7:6), neither one has any known connection with this group. If there were an Amaleki who founded this group, the record is silent about him.6 Chronologically, the Amlicites and Amalekites fit together perfectly; they never overlap. Alma tells of his problems with a large group of obstinate Nephite dissenters called Amlicites, who are after the order of Nehor and allied with the Lamanites. Aaron and Ammon, who were in the Lamanite lands during the same time period, tell of their problems with another formidable Lamanite ally after the order of Nehor, a people whose name Amalekites is spelled much like the name Amlicites. They both pursue the same kinds of goals at the same time and cause the same problems. Both groups are specifically not pure-blooded Lamanites (see Alma 2:1–11; 24:28–29). One group is intro- duced as if it will have ongoing importance. The other is first mentioned as if its identity has already been established. To be sure, the text reads more clearly if these groups are one and the same. John L. sorenson recognized this strong similarity some years ago and speculated that “it is possible that they [Amalekites] constituted the Amlicite remnant, . . . their new name possibly arising by ‘lamanitiza- tion’ of the original.” href="https://publications.mi.byu.edu/pdf-control.php/publications/jbms/14/1/S00013-50be6cccd0a2511Conkling.pdf"] and the people of Amulon had built a great city, which was called Jerusalem.

3 Now the Lamanites of themselves were sufficiently hardened, but the Amalekites and the Amulonites were still harder; therefore they did cause the Lamanites that they should harden their hearts, [ Hardness of heart is…
-lacking genuine sorrow over sin.
-justification for whatever you want to do, especially when you know it is not right.
-continuing to go back again and again into temptation, lies and deceit.
-choosing to think of yourself as most important.
-choosing what’s best for you and not the other.
-the small lies and huge lies that you convince yourself are not a big deal.
-being unteachable.
-tearing down with words.
-comparing and contrasting your wrongs against the other and making the judgement that “theirs is worse.”
-responding with defensiveness.
-the need to always be in control.
-waiting for the other to say sorry first.
-demanding the other change first.
-thinking more of what you deserve instead of what you can give.
-focusing more on being right than on becoming righteous.
-what you can get out of someone instead of how you can invest in them.
-the refusal to forgive.
-the refusal to humble yourself to ask for forgiveness.
-saying you forgive, but never letting go.
-asking for forgiveness and then going back to do the same thing again.
-magnifying the weaknesses and minimizing the strengths of the other, while magnifying the strengths and minimizing the weaknesses of yourself.
-justifying wrongful actions because they “started it first.”
-spending more time trying to find an official clinical diagnosis to explain away their issues than looking in the mirror to address your own.
-preserving your own well-being at the expense of the other.
-reading this list and thinking someone else should be reading this…] that they should wax strong in wickedness and their abominations.

4 And it came to pass that Aaron came to the city of Jerusalem, and first began to preach to the Amalekites. And he began to preach to them in their synagogues, for they had built synagogues after the order of the Nehors; [ And what did the order of Nehor believe? According to the philosophy of Nehor, “every priest and teacher ought to become popular” ( Alma 1:3). It is interesting that Nephi warned of what might happen to any church that might uphold this philosophy. In 1 Nephi 22:23, the “popular” preaching and teaching is accompanied by some parallel attributes which might help the reader understand why such a philosophy as Nehor’s was so potentially destructive:
“For the time speedily shall come that:
all churches which are built up to get gain, and
all those who are built up to get power over the flesh, and
those who are built up to become popular in the eyes of the world, and
those who seek the lusts of the flesh and the things of the world,
and to do all manner of iniquity; yea, in fine, all those who belong to the kingdom of the devil are they who need fear, and tremble, and quake; they are those who must be brought low in the dust; they are those who must be consumed as stubble; and this is according to the words of the prophet.” The doctrine of Nehor is the sameas what Satan suggested in the pre-mortal existence when he said:
Behold, here am I, send me, I will be thy son, and I will redeem all mankind, that one soul shall not be lost … Wherefore, because that Satan rebelled against me, and sought to destroy the agency of man, which I, the Lord God, had given him, and also, that I should give unto him mine own power by the power of mine Only Begotten, I caused that he should be cast down. (Moses 4:1, 3) This destructive Nehor/Satan philosophy not only would prove the “destruction” of the Lord’s people here on earth, but it would have proved the “entire destruction” (Alma 1:12) of the people. How is this so?
Simply put, this philosophy of priestcraft would prove the entire destruction of the Lord’s eternal plan — “the immortality and eternal life of man” (Moses 1:39). Just as with Satan’s ( or Nehor’s) plan been accepted in the pre-mortal existence, it would have negated all the varying degrees of progression that had been attained up to that point in man’s pre-mortal existence. Thus, there would have been no “noble and great ones” because all the laws upon which they were judged to be “noble and great” would have been made void. There would have been no allowance for birthright blessings that would accompany man into his earthly existence. There would be no reward for righteousness on the highest level during earthly existence, for Satan would save everybody. But in order to do that, just like Nehor, he would have made himself popular by lowering the standards, thus negating the Lord’s plan that had been in existence from the beginning. “To bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of man,” is to raise man to the Lord’s level of eternal life — to become like God.
Satan’s plan would have destroyed the agency of man in pre-mortal existence. It would have removed accountability by making it of no effect. It wasn’t so much that Satan was going to force people to do good, it was that Satan was going to alter God’s standards so that God’s children would not have any accountability, which in effect is damnation. ] for many of the Amalekites and the Amulonites were after the order of the Nehors.

5 Therefore, as Aaron entered into one of their synagogues to preach unto the people, and as he was speaking unto them, behold there arose an Amalekite and began to contend with him, saying: What is that thou hast testified? Hast thou seen an angel? Why do not angels appear unto us? [ Why do angels visit men? see Moroni 7:30-31. ] Behold are not this people as good as thy people?

6 Thou also sayest, except we repent we shall perish. How knowest thou the thought and intent of our hearts? How knowest thou that we have cause to repent? How knowest thou that we are not a righteous people? Behold, we have built sanctuaries, [ Sanctuaries to whom we might ask? How can we justify that we are doing something that is good, so therefore we are good? Do we do that at al as Latter Day Saints? I pay my tithing, I go to church, I... If we are not living the life that God has intended for us. Making and keeping covenants then it is only part of the equation. ] and we do assemble ourselves together to worship God. We do believe that God will save all men.

7 Now Aaron said unto him: Believest thou that the son of God [ Why does he start with the son of God and not the fact that there is a God? Maybe because they already say that they believe in God. So they to have their attention focused on the Savior. If not, if they do not believe in Christ then he cannot save them. ] shall come to redeem mankind from their sins?

8 And the man said unto him: We do not believe that thou knowest any such thing. We do not believe in these foolish traditions. We do not believe that thou knowest of things to come, [ So they have put a limit on their Gods so to speak as they do not believe that God has the power to reveal his plans to man. Another tactic of Satan. The idea that we have what we have and we do not need any more. It relates to the idea that this life is it as well. So if we do not see that we can live with God in the eternities, that when we die that is it. Well then there would be no need for God to work with us, to guide us so to speak on how to get back to him. Therefore the Gods that you might be inclined to worship would be only Gods that you need to appease so that they are not mad at you. ] neither do we believe that thy fathers and also that our fathers did know concerning the things which they spake, of that which is to come.

9 Now Aaron began to open the scriptures unto them concerning the coming of Christ, and also concerning the resurrection of the dead, and that there could be no redemption for mankind save it were through the death and sufferings of Christ, and the atonement [Russell M. Nelson said: “In the English language, the components are at-one-meant, suggesting that a person is at one with another. Other languages employ words that connote either expiation or reconciliation. Expiation means ‘to atone for.’ Reconciliation comes from Latin roots re, meaning ‘again’; con, meaning ‘with’; and sella, meaning ‘seat.’ Reconciliation, therefore, literally means ‘to sit again with.’…In Hebrew, the basic word for atonement is kaphar, a verb that means ‘to cover’ or ‘to forgive.’ Closely related is the Aramaic and Arabic word kafat, meaning ‘a close embrace’—no doubt related to the Egyptian ritual embrace….While the words atone or atonement, in any of their forms, appear only once in the King James translation of the New Testament, they appear 35 times in the Book of Mormon. As another testament of Jesus Christ, it sheds precious light on His Atonement.” (Ensign, Nov. 1996, pp.34-5 as taken from Latter-day Commentary on the Book of Mormon compiled by K. Douglas Bassett, p. 85))] of his blood.

10 And it came to pass as he began to expound these things unto them they were angry with him, and began to mock him; and they would not hear the words which he spake.

11 Therefore, when he saw that they would not hear his words, he departed out of their synagogue, and came over to a village which was called Ani-Anti, and there he found Muloki preaching the word unto them; and also Ammah and his brethren. [ So how many were in the missionary group? We know there were 4 sons of Mosiah; Also specifically Mulcki and Ammah and then his brethren which could be calculated as 2 more or is that a reference back to the 4 sons of mosiah? So the answer would be either 6 or 8 brethren. ] And they contended with many about the word.

12 And it came to pass that they saw that the people would harden their hearts, therefore they departed and came over into the land of Middoni. And they did preach the word unto many, and few believed on the words which they taught.

13 Nevertheless, Aaron and a certain number of his brethren were taken and cast into prison, and the remainder of them fled out of the land of Middoni unto the regions round about.

14 And those who were cast into prison suffered many things, and they were delivered by the hand of Lamoni and Ammon, and they were fed and clothed.

15 And they went forth again to declare the word, and thus they were delivered for the first time out of prison; and thus they had suffered.

16 And they went forth whithersoever they were led by the Spirit of the Lord, preaching the word of God in every synagogue of the Amalekites, or in every assembly of the Lamanites where they could be admitted.

17 And it came to pass that the Lord began to bless them, insomuch that they brought many to the knowledge of the truth; yea, they did convince many of their sins, and of the traditions of their fathers, which were not correct.

18 And it came to pass that Ammon and Lamoni returned from the land of Middoni to the land of Ishmael, which was the land of their inheritance. [ We know it is a land of Lamoni's inheritance, and since Lamoni's father kind of said that whatever Ammon wanted he could have up to 1/2 of everything. So it appears that Ammon has adopted Ishmael as his new homes as well. ]

19 And king Lamoni would not suffer that Ammon should serve him, or be his servant.

20 But he caused that there should be synagogues built in the land of Ishmael; and he caused that his people, or the people who were under his reign, should assemble themselves together.

21 And he did rejoice over them, and he did teach them many things. And he did also declare unto them that they were a people who were under him, and that they were a free people, that they were free from the oppressions of the king, his father; for that his father had granted unto him that he might reign over the people who were in the land of Ishmael, and in all the land round about.

22 And he also declared unto them that they might have the liberty of worshiping the Lord their God according to their desires, in whatsoever place they were in, if it were in the land which was under the reign of king Lamoni.

23 And Ammon did preach unto the people of king Lamoni; and it came to pass that he did teach them all things concerning things pertaining to righteousness. And he did exhort them daily, with all diligence; and they gave heed unto his word, and they were zealous for keeping the commandments of God.